


The End of Life (As We Know It)

by seventeenspimp (pliable_cedar)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, Growing Up, Hobbits AU, M/M, Wedding Planning, but very vaguely, wedding au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 18:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11110569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pliable_cedar/pseuds/seventeenspimp
Summary: Soonyoung, Seokmin and Seungkwan have been making trouble around the Shire from the time they learnt how to walk, and have been best friends even longer than that. When Seungkwan gets engaged, it's only obvious that he asks them both to be his  best men.As they get thrown head first into planning and putting on a wedding, Soonyoung and Seokmin realise that they aren't the children they once were, and that the future is much closer and much scarier than they'd thought.





	The End of Life (As We Know It)

**Author's Note:**

> -There is absolutely no good reason why this is a Hobbits AU, other than the fact that I had a really cool conversation with an autistic boy who /really loves/ LOTR and The Hobbit, and I thought it might be cute. If you don't know anything about this universe, it doesn't really matter. If you do, I'm sorry.  
> -I really love weddings and I really love gyukwan, so sorry about that too.  
> -This is the longest fic I've ever written, and I've worked so hard on it and I just...I'm so proud of myself. "Gimme that 3k fic," said Tessa. Well, Tess, here you go.

“Run!” Seungkwan bellows, his voice carrying over the sounds of wind rustling through the corn and the river rushing over rocks not too far away, and over the sound of the disgruntled farmer yelling somewhere close behind them. Soonyoung doesn’t waste a moment, taking off at top speed through the cornfield, trying his hardest not to trip over his big feet as he was prone to doing.

“Stop! Get back here you thieves!”

Soonyoung glances behind him for a second, long enough to see the man standing on his doorstep, still in his pajamas and waving around a scythe like a sleepy grim reaper. He catches Seungkwan’s eye and they share a mischievous grin. Their arms are both overflowing with stolen fruits and vegetables, the best of this crop, and from the footsteps he can hear, he knows Seokmin is running ahead of them with a similar loot.

When they make it past the edge of the farm fields and into the forest, they slow down some, and Seokmin beckons them over to the tree where he’s standing. “You guys, over here!” he whispers, pointing to a spot underneath some overgrown tree roots, just big enough for three little hobbits to use as a hiding spot.

Seungkwan quickly stashes the produce in the deepest part of their little nook and ducks down, pulling the other two down beside him and ignoring their complaints at being manhandled. Winded as they are, they try to keep their breathing steady and quiet, hoping the sounds of the woods would help conceal them further. Soonyoung can hear the farmer’s angry voice growing closer, right at the boundary of his fields, and his palms begin to sweat.

“I know you’re out there you pests!” he yells, and by now he’s probably no more than ten feet away. Soonyoung sucks in a breath and grabs the hand of each boy sitting beside him, too terrified to think about how the others would complain later. He squeezes his eyes shut as the crunching of fallen leaves under the farmer’s feet grows ever closer. Soonyoung is about to squeal out of terror when, suddenly, the footsteps start to retreat. “Ah, forget it,” they hear the man grumble as he heads back towards his house, and perhaps, his bed. “You better watch yourselves!” he calls, a final warning, “Next time you won’t get away so easy!”

Soon enough, the farmer’s footsteps fade away into nothing, and it’s as if he were never there. The only noises that remain are the early morning sounds of the forest; the birds waking up to start their chirping and the breeze picking up through the leaves on the trees. The three young hobbits allow themselves to breathe again, their chests heaving from the effort, but none of them moves or says a word.

Soonyoung stares down at his own feet, which are covered in curly fur, unusually dark like his hair, with dirt caked between his toes, and he watches the patches of warm sunlight that dance across his legs. He’s still too shaken up to open his mouth, his friends’ hands still clasped tightly in his.

He’s unaware of how much time passes in stillness and silence until Seungkwan speaks up, his voice croaky from disuse. “That was close,” he forces out in a whisper, scared that the calm might yet be broken by the return of the farmer. Soonyoung tilts his head slightly to the right look at him, not saying anything, but giving his friend a look that confirms that it may have been a little _too_ close.

From his other side, Seokmin mutters, “But I think this haul is one of the best we’ve ever had.” When Soonyoung turns his gaze over to him, he laughs nervously. “If that’s any comfort,” he adds. Soonyoung just snorts.

Seungkwan huffs out a breath, “Seriously though, maybe this is getting a little too…wild for us. Don’t you think?” Part of Soonyoung wants to agree after the close call they just had, but despite his fears in the moment, he knows that those close calls are what makes it worthwhile; what makes their stories worth telling afterwards. Seungkwan looks at the other two expectantly, but Soonyoung and Seokmin just shrug in unison.

“I don’t really see a problem, it’s not like we’ve got anything to lose,” Seokmin offers, and Soonyoung hums in agreement.

Seungkwan sighs, only a little on the dramatic side, his shoulders rising and falling with the action, and turns to stare off into the depths of the forest. His friends keep their attention on him, waiting to hear whatever he’s bound to say next.

After a moment of dramatic silence, for effect of course, Seungkwan says, “I’m getting married.”

Suddenly, Soonyoung rediscovers his voice. “What!?” he blurts, finally releasing his grip on his friends’ hands.

Seokmin, with his eyes blown wide in shock, leans forward over Soonyoung to get a good look at Seungkwan, who now has a blush creeping down his neck and is pointedly not making eye contact with anyone. “Did Mingyu propose? When did this happen?” he questions, excitement dripping from his voice. Soonyoung himself is beginning to feel a little dizzy, his brain overwhelmed from processing this bit of news.

Seungkwan nods furiously, a smile tugging on his lips as he pushes past his initial embarrassment. “He did! It was last Hevensday, when we went out to Bree for the day,” he’s almost glowing as he tells them.

“Are you serious?” Soonyoung blurts again, still in shock, but finally realising that Seungkwan really isn’t joking about this. “Why are you only now telling us?”

“Yea, aren’t we supposed to be your best friends?” Seokmin chimes in, but the glimmer in his eyes gives him away; he’s already too thrilled about this to pretend to be upset.

Seungkwan rolls his eyes at them and shifts his body so that they’re all sitting in a little circle on the ground. “You _are_ my best friends, and you’re actually the first ones I’m telling this to!” he says, reaching out to take their hands. He takes in a slow breath before he continues, “And because you’re my best friends, I wanted to ask if you would be the best men at my wedding.”

Soonyoung quickly glances between Seokmin and Seungkwan with his eyes wide, and asks, “Both of us? You want us both to be your best men?”

Seungkwan smiles fondly at him and gives his hand a light squeeze, “Absolutely. It know it’s a little much to have two best men, but you can’t honestly expect me to just choose one of you.” He huffs, which makes Soonyoung smile, “And besides, it’s _my_ wedding, and I can do what I want.”

“It’s not like anything’s ever stopped you from doing what you want before now,” Seokmin gibes, but he’s wearing his blinding grin and Soonyoung feels a warmth spreading from his chest.

Seungkwan shoves Seokmin lightly, and both Soonyoung and Seokmin laugh at his fake pout. “Anyway, you’ll do it right? For me?” Seungkwan’s eyes shine in anticipation, and he waggles their arms lightly where their hands are connected. “You’ll be the best men at my wedding?”

Seokmin looks over to Soonyoung and they share a small smile. Then, he takes Soonyoung’s free hand in his, completing their little circle, and says to Seungkwan, “Of course we’ll do it.”

The sun is high in the sky by now, the last traces of morning mist gone and the rays shining through the trees to warm up the forest floor below, but when Seungkwan squeals in joy and leaps forward to envelop his two best friends in a crushing embrace, Soonyoung knows that the warm feeling that reaches his toes has nothing to do with the weather; when Seokmin doesn’t let go of his hand, but rather, holds it tighter in his as they laugh in celebration of something so new and bright and joyous, he doesn’t think the Sun will ever feel the same again.

 

~

 

The last time Soonyoung remembers going to a wedding, he was about 13 years old. It was one of his mother’s cousins who lived in the Tower Hills, some people whose names he never bothered to learn. The only thing he really recalls is gorging himself on all the food he could get his hands on, and dancing around like a madman with his sisters, which coincidentally, led to him throwing up everything he had eaten. He realises, as he knocks on the door to Seungkwan’s home, that he doesn’t know the first thing about planning a wedding, and has most certainly never been someone’s best man before.

He snaps out of his internal panicking when he hears the click of the lock and the massive, round, yellow door creaks open to reveal one of the grooms to be. “Oh, Soonyoung, finally,” Mingyu’s shoulders slump in relief when he sees him, and Soonyoung can only raise his eyebrows in response. Mingyu smiles tiredly, “I’m glad you’re here, I think Seokmin needs some saving.”

“From…?” Soonyoung cocks his head in confused amusement.

Mingyu moves aside to let Soonyoung in, “You’ll see.” Soonyoung steps into the warmth of the foyer and quickly takes off the cloak he had been wearing to block out the chill of that early spring evening; Mingyu takes it and hangs it on a hook by the door while he wipes his feet half-heartedly. On any other day, his cloak would be on the floor and his feet would trail dirt after him everywhere he went, but now Mingyu’s here, and he always makes sure things are clean and in place and warm and welcoming. Soonyoung can hear the fire crackling and can smell whatever is cooking before he even enters fully, and he almost swoons. Seungkwan is so lucky.

Soonyoung halfway hides behind Mingyu as they head down the hall and into the kitchen, so he notices the others before they notice him.

Seungkwan is seated at the rough wooden table with various books and stacks of paper spread out before him, his back hunched over looking almost ready to collapse. Over by the fire, Seokmin stands with his back to the rest of them, continuously turning the bubbling contents of a large pot. The aroma of the food, now even stronger and more tempting, draws Soonyoung towards the further side of the room.

Mingyu however, like the good fiancé he is, drifts to Seungkwan’s side, leaning over and placing a gentle hand on his back to get his attention. Seungkwan lifts his head and blinks up at Mingyu, a dazed look crossing his face before being replaced with frustration and worry.

“My wrist aches and I’ve barely started writing these things,” Seungkwan complains, rubbing his wrist for a second before using both arms to gesture grandly at the mess before him. “I should’ve married someone with more money, then I could’ve hired scribes to write the invitations instead.”

Soonyoung manages to hold back from laughing at his friend’s misery, but Mingyu doesn’t. “Yea, sure,” he chuckles, “Knowing you, you wouldn’t trust anyone but yourself to get it right anyway.”

Seungkwan just huffs, and immediately Mingyu’s expression softens, fingers moving to smooth out the worry lines on Seungkwan’s face, their faces getting dangerously close. Soonyoung blushes at witnessing such an intimate action and quickly turns away before he intrudes any further.

He shifts his attention to Seokmin and moves closer to stand behind him, hooking his chin over his shoulder to peek into the pot. “What’s cooking?” he asks, even though now he can see that it’s Seokmin’s special coney stew; he does a little celebration internally.

Seokmin turns his head to glance at him, nose brushing lightly against Soonyoung’s cheek in the movement. He turns back to the pot, lips turned up slightly. “I thought I’d heard you come in,” he remarks. Soonyoung hums.

“How’s it been going so far?” his voice is a little quieter now.

Seokmin releases a small sigh. “Let’s just say I’m glad you’re here now,” he says, and Soonyoung understands. Hoping to reassure him, Soonyoung wraps his arms around Seokmin’s waist in a quick back hug; Seokmin smiles and pats Soonyoung’s hand in thanks before changing the subject, “Hungry?” Sooonyoung doesn’t have to give an answer for Seokmin to know that he _absolutely_ is, so he continues, “Go fetch some bowls then.”

Soonyoung detaches himself from Seokmin’s back so that he can fulfil the order, reaching into the open cupboard on the adjacent wall to take down bowls, cups, and spoons, four of each. He peeks over at Seungkwan and Mingyu, relieved to see them simply sitting side by side at the table and discussing something, whatever sort of romantic moment they were previously having seemingly over.

As he places the empty cups and spoons down at the table, Seungkwan finally takes notice of his presence.

“Oh, Soonyoung is here!” he exclaims, his features relaxing in relief. He elbows Mingyu, “Why didn’t you tell me he was here!” He then jumps to his feet hurriedly, only narrowly missing knocking over the pot of ink next to him. “The food’s almost ready, right Seokmin? I’ll go get something for us to drink, then we can finally get to business!”

There’s a flurry of motion in the kitchen after that, as Seungkwan dashes out and returns with a bottle of ale, getting Mingyu to open it and pour out some for each of them. Meanwhile, Soonyoung holds out the bowls for Seokmin to dish out the stew, and they carry them to the table, one in each hand. Mingyu also runs to the pantry to retrieve the basket off rolls he’d made earlier, and by the time he gets back, Soonyoung doesn’t think he can wait any longer.

When they’re all sitting with their food and drink before them, they finally dig in. The rolls are so soft, and they melt right into the warm stew, which is just the perfect amount of spicy, and Soonyoung almost cries.

“This is amazing,” he lauds, and Seokmin laughs as he watches Soonyoung shovel even more potato and mushrooms into his mouth.

He leans over to whisper in Soonyoung’s ear, “The veggies? Those were the last of what we swiped last week.” When he looks at him, Seokmin is wearing a smug smile with a mischievous glint in his eye, and Soonyoung can’t help but mirror the expression. He wonders to himself if he and Seokmin would keep doing things like that, now that Seungkwan doesn’t really want to be involved in troublemaking anymore. He’s not sure if it would be any fun that way, or if he’d just miss Seungkwan too much.

He’s interrupted from his thoughts by Seungkwan speaking up. “Okay! Now that everyone is here and mostly fed, we can start talking about the serious stuff,” he announces, though his playful tone eschews any of the seriousness he speaks of.

Seokmin places his spoon into his empty bowl and leans back. “I don’t even get why you need the two of us here so badly, neither of us know the first thing about planning a wedding,” he remarks, more jokingly than anything.

“The last time I went to a wedding was more than 20 years ago,” Soonyoung adds, slightly muffled by the food in his mouth.

Seungkwan sighs, already exasperated with the two of them. “Listen, none of us know anything about weddings, we’re all in the same boat.”

He makes eye contact with Mingyu sitting next to him, and Mingyu continues, “We talked to our parents and they’re going to help us as much as they can, but there are some parts that’re still up to us. Like choosing a date and decorations and guests.”

“And these ridiculous invitations,” Seungkwan adds bitterly. He looks at his friends across the table from him and fixes them with pleading eyes. “But you’re my- you’re _our_ best friends and we need your support in this, _please_. There’s no one else who could do a better job, I trust you boys with my _life_.”

There’s a pause as Seungkwan’s words hang in the air. Then all four of them burst into laughter.

“What a great speech, very well sold,” Soonyoung commends, a little breathless.

“Truly,” Seokmin confirms, wiping a pretend tear from his eye, “Did you rehearse it?”

“Rehearse? Please!” Seungkwan scoffs, turning his head in feigned offense.

Mingyu, still trying to collect himself, chimes in, “No, of course not. You can’t rehearse genius like that, you have to be _born with it_.” Seungkwan cracks a smile against his will, and pushes Mingyu away from him.

“Alright, very funny,” he concedes, unfolding a piece of paper that looks like a calendar.

“That list bit was a nice touch,” Soonyoung says, still trying laboriously to swipe up whatever was left in his bowl with a piece of bread. He can feel Seokmin eyeing him, but he refuses to acknowledge it.

“It was true, though!” Seungkwan protests.

Seokmin raises an eyebrow, in response to both Seungkwan and Soonyoung. He takes Soonyoung’s bowl from him and gets up from the table, his tone disbelieving when he says, “You trust us with your life?” Soonyoung pouts, ready to protest for his bowl back, but for only a moment before Seokmin returns and presents it to him filled to the brim with more steaming stew.

“Of course I do! Absolutely, one hundred percent,” argues Seungkwan. “With my wedding, however, not at all.” Soonyoung laughs, and Seungkwan looks him dead in the eye and adds, in a serious tone, “Not one bit.”

Still with a trace of amusement in his features, Mingyu directs the conversation back to the wedding. “Okay,” he says, “so, we’ve been leaning towards having the wedding during the summer.”

“This summer?” Soonyoung manages to say without choking in his shock, “It’s already Astron, how are we going to get everything done in time?” He glances over at Seokmin, glad to see that he looks similarly doubtful.

“With the amount of help we’re getting from family, we think we can manage it, it won’t be too hard,” Mingyu explains. “The only thing is-”

“I want to do it on Mid-year’s Day,” he’s interrupted by Seungkwan, who is pointing out the date on his calendar for Seokmin and Soonyoung to see.

Mingyu rolls his eyes fondly, “-is that.”

“Mid-year’s day?” Seokmin asks, looking even more incredulous than before. “But that’s the biggest holiday of the year!”

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Mingyu seems glad to finally have someone on his side. “No one is going to want to come.”

“First of all,” Seungkwan’s voice is level but dripping with attitude, “ _everyone_ is going to be there. Whether it’s because they know I throw the best parties for miles, or because they can’t believe that someone managed to win me over and _have_ to see it with their own eyes, not a single soul in the Shire is going to miss _my_ wedding.”

“He has a point,” Soonyoung chimes in, his attention still mostly on filling his stomach.

Seungkwan raises his eyebrows at Mingyu for the small victory, but keeps going, leaning forward on his elbows, “Secondly, if you think about it, there’s no day more suited. Aside from it being the _perfect_ weather, warm and beautiful, before the days get unbearably hot. And all the early summer flowers will be in bloom! It’ll be gorgeous.” Wonder and excitement seep into Seungkwan’s words the more he talks about it, and Soonyoung can’t help but feel it himself. “It’s also the longest day of the year, so if we have it in the evening, people can go to the fairs early and then come to the wedding later. What better way to spend the holiday than by celebrating all day long? Isn’t that what Mid-year’s day is about anyway?”

In excitement, Soonyoung drops his bowl and spoon onto the table with a clatter, “I…I love it.” He’s certain his expression of awe mimics Seungkwan’s, but Mingyu and Seokmin still don’t look quite convinced.

Soonyoung knows he has better chances of winning Seokmin over, so he keeps his eyes on him when he speaks. “Can’t you picture it? Strings of bright flowers across all the paths, along the aisles, _everywhere_ , so much colour and warm sun washing over everything! Throngs of people, all happy and loud and dancing late into the night, eating food and - oh! - all the summer fruit, to their hearts’ content.” Seokmin has a smile growing on his face, and Soonyoung returns it, knowing he’s captured Seokmin, ever the romantic.

Casting a glance around the table, he sees that at some point, Mingyu had clasped Seungkwan’s hand in his. He’d like to think Mingyu can see it now too. “And don’t forget the Mid-year’s fireworks to end it off. Honestly, I don’t know why more people don’t get married on Mid-year’s day.” He aims a cheeky smile at the couple and they both laugh.

“Ahh, Soonyoung, I really don’t know why either,” Mingyu smiles, and Seungkwan jabs his elbow lightly into Mingyu’s side, a silent reprimand for something Soonyoung isn’t aware of. He figures it must be a couple thing. “But you’re right,” he pauses, looks at Seungkwan, “both of you. There probably isn’t a more perfect day for the wedding.”

It seems like Seungkwan begins to radiate happiness at that, “So, it’s decided then? Mid-year’s day?” Mingyu nods, Soonyoung grins, Seokmin smiles and shrugs. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a date!” Seungkwan stands and proclaims, and the others can’t help but clap and laugh in rejoicing.

“Thank goodness,” Seokmin breathes a sigh of relief.

Seungkwan grins slyly, “And now that that’s out of the way, Seokmin and Soonyoung can finish writing up the invitations!”

Soonyoung’s lingering smile drops instantly, and he narrows his eyes, at the stacks of cards that are meant to be the invitations, and then at Seungkwan. “Umm…”

“Why do _we_ have to do the invitations?” Seokmin says, on behalf of both of them.

Seungkwan puts a hand on his hip and levels them with a stern look, as though they’re the ones being unreasonable. “You’re the _best men_ , aren’t you? You have responsibilities to fulfil too!”

“And by responsibilities, you mean mindless labour, don’t you?” Soonyoung quips, though he’s already mostly resigned to their fate as work mules.

Seungkwan doesn’t comment; instead, he pulls a card from the top of the pile and shows it to them. “Soonyoungie has the nicest handwriting, so you can do the main part, with our names and the date,” he instructs. “I’ve already done all of the greetings with the guests’ names, so Seokmin, you can just put them into the envelopes and address them. Understand?”

He looks at them for confirmation, a warning in his gaze for them to not mess things up. Seokmin nods, and Soonyoung simply pulls the stack of cards over to his side of the table.

Once he’s pleased, Seungkwan grabs a piece of parchment with some writing on it and pulls Mingyu up by the arm. “Mingyu and I have some other matters to attend to, so, we’ll leave you two to it. Have fun, don’t mess up!” And with that he’s gone, dragging Mingyu behind him.

There’s a moment of quiet, then Seokmin sighs, and stands to clear away the dishes and make more room on the table. “Matters to attend to, sure. They’ve probably gone into the hall for a snog,” he mutters.

Soonyoung snickers, not raising his eyes from the invitation he’s examining.

“We need to remember not to go looking for them, then,” he deadpans. He picks up the quill and begins tracing out the letters of the grooms’ names carefully onto the card, curling each one with flair and making sure there are no ink splotches.

Seokmin, once he’s done, plops down across from him at the table, in the chair that Mingyu was seated in before, “Wouldn’t be the first time we caught them in a…compromising position.” When Soonyoung glances up at him, he’s leaning forward on folded arms and wearing a knowing smirk. “Remember?”

They make eye contact for a second, and though Soonyoung is smiling when looks back down, he’s blushing at the memory.

He definitely does _not_ want to remember the time he and Seokmin had barged into Seungkwan’s bedroom, excited to tell him _something_ that he’s forgotten by now, but they found Seungkwan with Mingyu’s mouth attached to his neck, and his hands in places Soonyoung doesn’t want to imagine. Soonyoung squeezes his eyes shut to dispel the image.

“I don’t want to remember, and I most definitely do not want it to happen again,” he says firmly. Thankfully, they’d managed to get out before they saw much else; the only real consequence had been having to deal with a silent and pouty Seungkwan for the next week.

Finally, Seokmin decides to start working as well, picking up the second quill and dipping it into the ink gingerly, taking the first finished invitation and writing the address on the envelope. His lines aren’t as smooth and practised as Soonyoung’s calligraphy, the ink not quite as even, but he has a look of concentration so intense that Soonyoung can’t fault him for his effort. Without breaking focus, Seokmin muses, “It wasn’t so long ago, but it feels like we were so much younger then. I can’t believe Seungkwan and Mingyu are getting _married_.”

“They’ve been obnoxiously in love for so long, we all knew it was coming eventually,” Soonyoung replies, despite feeling about the same amount of disbelief as Seokmin, if not more. The prospect of Seungkwan and Mingyu one day getting married had always seemed inevitable, he’d never considered it going any other way, but for some reason, though, the moment’s arrival had still caught him off guard.

“Yea, but…” Seokmin sighs, “…’eventually’ ended up being a lot sooner than I expected.”

Soonyoung chuckles at the irony, adding another invitation to his pile of finished work. “I know what you mean,” he meets Seokmin’s eyes and sends him what he hopes is a reassuring smile, even though he himself is not quite sure of anything. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. All the stuff that we looked forward to in the future is happening now…the future is _now_.”

“It’s a little bit scary,” Seokmin confesses, and he has that smile he usually has when he’s trying to hide how nervous he is. Soonyoung really wants to reach out and take his hand, or do _something_ to ease his mind. “We’re not children anymore, running around and causing trouble without a care in the world. At some point, when we weren’t paying attention, we grew up. How could we have let that happen?”

“I don’t know about you, but I most certainly have _not_ grown up,” Soonyoung frowns in offense.

Seokmin laughs at that, and Soonyoung wants to congratulate himself for succeeding in lifting his mood. “You’re absolutely right, and neither have I! It’s our friends who’ve got that silly notion in their heads.”

“Seungkwan and Mingyu can be boring and old and ‘settle down’ together all they want, but you and me, Seok? We still have trouble left in us yet.” Soonyoung grins crookedly and throws a wink at Seokmin, who bursts out laughing, and Soonyoung can’t help but follow suit.

He doesn’t mention that he’s scared that maybe Seungkwan won’t have time for them anymore, or that things would never feel quite the same with just the two of them. Seokmin is his best friend too, and he doesn’t want him to be worried, not when he could be laughing the way he is right now. Besides, they still have planning an entire wedding to worry about, what with the short time frame and a perfectionist for a groom; after all that is over, he and Seokmin will have all the time in the world to not grow up.

 

~

 

Soonyoung can admit that, in the beginning, he didn’t know a thing about weddings or what they involved, or what was required of him as best man. Seungkwan had assured him that it would be an easy job, just do what he’s asked and help when he’s needed, and Soonyoung thought it would be a fun bonding experience for all of them as friends. By the time Forelithe rolls around, he wishes he still had that blissful ignorance.

Over the course of two months, Soonyoung has learnt that being someone’s best man means writing, addressing and delivering about two hundred invitations, having to design a floor plan and a seating plan for the dinner, and having to rearrange it every time there was another RSVP. It means the front hall of his own house being crowded with crates of mead and ale and wine for the wedding guests, and his own desk being covered with endless lists, of things to do and things to get and people to talk to and people to pay. He knows that the inside of Seokmin’s home looks very much the same, except the crates were full of decorations and tablecloths and lamps, and the lists were meal plans and drink inventory and important dates.

The grooms had tried to divide the work between their two best men as best as possible, so Soonyoung himself, with his ‘creative eye’ as Seungkwan had put it, was responsible for most things design related, while Seokmin, with his bright personality and winning smile, took charge of the more social side.

Still, Seokmin felt the need to drag Soonyoung along to every meeting with musicians and bakers and little old aunties who would be helping with the food, claiming that his round cheeks and extra pointy ears helped to soften people’s hearts. In turn, every time Soonyoung had to stay up late stringing silk flowers into streamers, or building centrepieces or redrawing the layout so that the cake wouldn’t be too close to Mingyu’s crazy, drunk cousins, Seokmin was right there with him, with tea and biscuits ready whenever he needed a break.

Overall it was exhausting, and Soonyoung feels that by the time it’s all over with, he’d surely be dead on his feet, but he was right about it helping them to bond. It feels surreal, being able to spend so much time around his favourite people, especially Seokmin, seeing them almost every day in the lead up to the big event, so much so that despite all the work and Seungkwan’s nagging, he doesn’t want it to end.

“I can’t believe there’s only three weeks left,” Soonyoung voices, interrupting the comfortable silence between him and Seokmin as they walk.

It’s a Sunday morning, and even though it’s still quite early, they can feel the summer coming in to warm up the air, cloaks long abandoned and trousers rolled up to expose as much of their skin to the cool breeze as possible. Today, the only thing on their to-do list is to pick up Seungkwan and Mingyu’s finished suits from the tailor’s, and have their own fitted one last time. After that, they were free to do whatever.

“I know,” Seokmin groans, just a little melodramatically, “I can’t wait to sleep for a week when it’s done.” He has his hands shoved into his pockets and he’s trying to kick a pebble down the path in front of him. Soonyoung thinks he’s going to trip himself.

“I don’t want to do this ever again, it’s too much work,” Soonyoung exclaims with exaggerated angst, before giving Seokmin a meaningful look, “Don’t ask me to be your best man when you’re getting married. I’ll say no.”

Seokmin throws his head back and lets out a laugh, short and loud, and a few people glance in their direction because of it. “No, I’m gonna make Seungkwan my best man, then he can see for himself everything he’s put us through.”

“Revenge plan! I like it,” Soonyoung grins.

Seokmin grins back, eyes disappearing into little crescents, and he bumps their shoulders together.

They’re getting further into town now, Soonyoung can feel the ground under his feet change from grass and dirt to smooth cobblestone. The streets are a little more crowded here, so they have to walk closer together anyway. Soonyoung fights the urge to hold Seokmin’s hand and pull him closer so they don’t get separated, but it doesn’t matter, because Seokmin beats him to it.

“Anyway, you can complain all you like, but you can’t fool me,” he says into Soonyoung’s ear as he curls their fingers together. “You love this.”

Soonyoung takes a look at his face to see that he’s smirking at him, like he knows Soonyoung’s secrets. Soonyoung swallows. “I do?”

Seokmin chuckles and starts lightly swinging their connected hands. “Of course you do, and you know it! You get so excited when you talk about all the decorations and the music and the food. And when Mingyu asked you to help them with their dancing? You lit up like a firework!” Seokmin giggles delightedly and Soonyoung laughs as well, though with not as much enthusiasm. “Who knew you were such a wedding lover? Imagine what you’ll be like when it’s your own wedding! I can’t wait to see.” Suddenly, Soonyoung feels a bit dizzy and lost for words, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Thankfully he’s saved from having to respond by their arrival at the tailor’s shop. “Oh, we’re here!”

Seokmin pulls him along, up the steps and into the shop, the bell on the door still ringing faintly as it shuts behind them. The girl sitting at the front desk looks up from her book as they enter, and she must be a member of the family because she doesn’t look any older than twenty.

“Good morning,” she greets, sufficiently pleasant but still sounding like she’d rather be in bed.

“Good morning!” Seokmin replies with about three times her enthusiasm. “We’re here to see Mr. Kang-“

“Oh, Seokmin dear! And Soonyoung!” Before Seokmin can finish his request, Mrs. Kang, the tailor’s wife, sticks her head out of the door to the work room and spies them. She steps out fully and beckons them toward her. “Come on in, boys, we’ve been waiting for you. Come on, come on, don’t be shy!”

“Mrs. Kang!” Seokmin exclaims, pulling Soonyoung in tow, past the front desk and across the floor of the waiting area, and Soonyoung can tell that Mrs. Kang is eyeing their joined hands. When they approach her, to Soonyoung’s relief, Seokmin finally lets him go in favour of wrapping the old lady in a hug. She hugs him and then Soonyoung as well, before patting their butts the way old ladies do and ushering them inside.

“The boys are here, honey,” she announces from behind them, and Soonyoung can see that Mr. Kang has his back turned to them as he digs inside the large, standing wardrobe he has situated against the back wall.

“Oh, just a moment!” he calls.

After a few moments of waiting, he emerges with four bundles in his arms, each of their suits wrapped up carefully in little satin satchels. He carries them over to his work desk and lays them out, putting on the glasses that hang around his long neck. “It’s so nice to see you two again,” he says without sparing them a glance, but his voice is kind and warm. “How’s all the wedding planning going?” He sets two of the bundles aside, and begins unwrapping the third one.

“A lot of work,” Soonyoung confesses and Mrs. Kang chuckles from where she is moving a pile of fabric off a bench, making room for them to sit. Mr. Kang looks at him and smiles like he understands, and gestures for Soonyoung to come over. “But it’s been a lot of fun as well!” he says with a short laugh.

“That’s an understatement,” Seokmin interjects as he takes the seat Mrs. Kang has cleared. “Soonyoungie here is having the time of his _life_ , he _loves_ weddings.” Seokmin’s grin is sparkling and Soonyoung is just glad he can hide his blush behind the clothes Mr. Kang hands him to try on. He shoots Seokmin what he hopes is a warning look before he disappears behind the changing screen.

“Oh, I absolutely understand!” Mrs. Kang cries in excitement. “I absolutely loved weddings as a little girl, and when I was your age and all my friends were getting married it was the best time! All the music and the ladies in beautiful dresses twirling around the room, it’s so beautiful and romantic.” Soonyoung hears her sigh dreamily and smiles to himself.

“But the best part of it, of course, is being able to celebrate with the people you love, on the happiest day of their lives,” Mr. Kang adds, and Soonyoung finds he agrees; if he really does love it as much as Seokmin thinks he does, that’s definitely why. Aside from all the frustration and nit-picking, Soonyoung can tell Seungkwan is bursting at the seams with anticipation, and Mingyu just gets happier and more easy-going the more they get accomplished.

Soonyoung finds himself looking forward more and more to seeing his friends finally get to that moment they’ve been waiting for, to start that new part of their lives. Even if it means he might be left behind.

“I know! I keep wishing I could just bring the day closer, so that Seungkwan can finally have what he’s been waiting so long for,” Seokmin says, his voice a bit farther away than a moment ago, and Soonyoung guesses he’s changing behind the other screen, on the opposite side of the room. “It just makes me happy to see him so happy.” Soonyoung is pleased to know they’re on the same page as always.

“But you know, as wonderful as all weddings are, nothing could ever quite live up to the happiness of your own special day,” Mrs. Kang pipes up again, as Soonyoung finishes buttoning his shirt and pulls on the formal trousers.

His dizziness returns a little, and he can feel goose pimples raise on his skin, what he’s come to realise in the past few months, is his body’s natural response every time he begins to think about having a wedding of his own. He shakes his head and tries to will away the uneasy feeling as he closes the last button on his waistcoat and steps out from behind the screen; he has absolutely no reason to be feeling anxious about marriage when he isn’t even _courting_ anyone.

“That is, unless you find out that the person you married is awful and you absolutely despise each other.” She throws on the last bit as a joke, and Soonyoung tries to laugh along without sounding strained. He hears Seokmin’s unhindered laugh, loud and clear.

Mr.  Kang sees Soonyoung and calls him over, directing him to raise his arms so that he can check that everything fits well. While doing this he continues his wife’s train of thought, “But if the person you marry is your best friend?”

Just as Mr. Kang finishes his sentence, in the worst possible timing, Seokmin comes out as well, looking more dashing in his new suit than Soonyoung has ever seen him in his life. The shirt fits nicely on his broad shoulders, and the rich emerald green of his waistcoat suits his brown hair and bronze skin so well. He catches Soonyoung’s eye and grins, his eyes positively sparkling as he spins around to give a full view of his new clothes, and Soonyoung is sure he’s going to faint.

Mr. Kang’s smile is distant but his eyes are knowing, and Soonyoung hopes the old man doesn’t read too much into the blush that’s warming his face now. “Well, it won’t get better than that,” he finishes, “You’ll be happy all your life.”

“As we have been,” Mrs. Kang’s voice is soft as she begins to look over Seokmin the same way her husband is doing with Soonyoung. At his wife’s words, Mr. Kang himself blushes, but Soonyoung can now identify the look in his eye as one of reminiscing, on all the happiness he’s had in his own marriage. In that moment, Soonyoung decides he won’t settle for anything less than that. “But of course, you boys will find that out for yourselves soon enough.”

Seokmin laughs, but Soonyoung can see the red tinging his cheeks. He wonders what his reason for being embarrassed is. “Don’t tell me you have people in mind for us, Mrs. Kang,” he teases, “You obviously know something I don’t.”

Soonyoung can’t see her face, but she just pats Seokmin’s chest and doesn’t respond. She then calls out to her husband, “It fits perfectly, love!” She turns in their direction and her gaze meets Soonyoung’s. She smirks, and suddenly Soonyoung is a little scared, “Soonyoung, what do you think? Does he look good?”

Soonyoung’s mouth goes dry.

Seokmin gives another cute little twirl, then places his hands on his hips and bats his eyelashes, which at least succeeds in drawing a laugh out of Soonyoung. He tries to think of something funny and clever to say in response, but he only manages, “You look…really good.”

Seokmin beams and strikes a few more poses, making Mrs. Kang laugh and shove him back towards the screen to get changed again.

Not long after, Soonyoung himself is instructed to go change, and he and Seokmin sit side by side in the waiting area as Mr. Kang does a few quick adjustments to his own, amber coloured waistcoat. “It really does look great, you know,” Soonyoung says seriously, playing with his hands and not looking at Seokmin. “Your suit. It’s more dressed up than I’ve ever seen you before, but it suits you.”

Seokmin snickers, “It _suits_ me?” He nudges Soonyoung, who just rolls his eyes at his idiot friend.

The truth is, he doesn’t know how to fully express how _different_ Seokmin looks to him, and he’s not sure he even wants to try. He’s worried enough about everything else that’s changing, and only moments ago his best friend was standing in front of him, looking more handsome and manly and _marriageable_ than Soonyoung ever thought he could be.

He doesn’t know what scares him more, that he finds Seokmin marriageable, or that someone else might find the same thing.

“Yours looks fantastic too, Soon. I always knew you’d end up being the most handsome one out of all of us.” Seokmin grins wickedly and leans in closer to whisper, “Don’t tell Seungkwan I said that.” Soonyoung smiles stupidly; he’s sure that at some point his head is bound to explode from all the blood rush.

“Second only to Mingyu, right?” Soonyoung jokes, trying to turn the conversation away from himself.

Seokmin strokes his non-existent beard. “I suppose so. It’s hard to compete with someone as gorgeous as Mingyu,” he laughs, “but don’t tell Seungkwan I said that either.”

“I’m sure he’d be beyond pleased to know he’s marrying someone much more attractive than any of us ever will,” Soonyoung says, then twists his face into a pout reminiscent of Seungkwan. “But that’s _not_ the reason why he’s marrying him.”

They both dissolve into laughter, Seokmin’s eyes disappearing as his mouth opens, “But it’s definitely the reason he started dating him in the first place.”

Soonyoung playfully bumps their shoulders together. “Now he likes other things, like his personality, and how well he can cook. He’s not quite as shallow anymore.”

“You’re right, our Seungkwannie has really grown up,” Seokmin’s tone becomes more serious, and it’s about half joking, half real. “He’s a real mature adult, getting married, making his way in the world.”

Soonyoung, in a moment of courage, takes his hand and interlocks their fingers. “As long as he’s happy, right?”

“As long as you _both_ are happy, I’ll be happy,” Seokmin squeezes his hand lightly, and Soonyoung feels his heart rate pick up speed.

Soonyoung squeezes back, “Yea, same here.” Seokmin gives him the softest smile he’s capable of and Soonyoung’s eyes burn looking at him. He really does not want to cry right now, especially not with the receptionist girl casting them wary glances over her book.

“Okay, boys! Here we go,” Mr. Kang announces, he and his wife coming out of the work room and breaking them out of their little moment. They have a couple bundles in their hands that Seokmin and Soonyoung stand to collect. “These are all of your suits,” he hands Soonyoung the bundle, tied so that he can carry it over his shoulder. “Keep them dry, keep them safe. I won’t be able to redo them in three weeks if you ruin them,” he warns, but he’s wearing a playful smile.

“And these,” Mrs. Kang adds, passing off the second bundle to Seokmin, “are some biscuits and some scones that I made this morning. Feel free to share them with the grooms if you like. But you don’t have to.”

Soonyoung chuckles, “In that case, I think we’ll just keep them to ourselves.”

Mrs. Kang laughs heartily and lightly smacks his shoulder, before placing a kiss on each of their cheeks. “Be good, boys, don’t make too much trouble,” she says as she walks them to the door, “and who knows, hopefully we’ll see you both back here soon.”

She stands and waves at them from the top of the steps as they walk down the street, until they disappear in the crowd and can no longer see her.

“She seems incredibly eager to have us married off, don’t you think?” Seokmin notes, not unkindly.

Soonyoung shrugs, “I suppose people think that if even Seungkwan can manage it, you and I will be settled down in no time.” He grins wickedly. “He was always the worst one.”

Seokmin lets out a small chuckle and nods in response. “What do you want to do now?” he asks after a bit, linking his arms through Soonyoung’s ask they walk.

“We can drop these things off at mine and head down to the pub?” Soonyoung suggests.

“Sounds great!” However, his face falls, almost instantly, “Wait, I don’t really have any money for the pub.”

Soonyoung shoots him a sly smile, “Neither do I.” Seokmin grins.

 

~

 

The last three weeks of planning fly by while everyone is too busy to notice, and before they know it, they wake up to find that Mid-year’s Day is upon them. Or, more accurately, Mid-year’s day finds them, quite unremarkably, still stringing up flowers and setting out tables and chairs over the lawn, in the garden where most of the wedding will take place.

Soonyoung is trying to direct a pair of Seungkwan’s cousins as they hang a massive canopy of bright red, yellow and pink zinnias over the expanse of the little lawn, tying them to the tops of the hobbit holes that enclose the area; Mingyu and Seokmin are busy laying out soft cream tablecloths over the rounded tables, while Seungkwan and all three of the grooms’ sisters follow behind, laying out plates and cutlery and place cards, and the centrepieces, which are little baskets filled to the brim with a mix of dahlias, oxalis and daisies that they all spent hours making.

Most of their older family members have already turned in for the night, but the small crew of younger people stayed up to make sure everything was finished and in place and perfect for tomorrow. Soonyoung has to say that he feels quite proud of all they’d accomplished, and the teamwork they’d displayed in putting it all together.

Just hours ago, they were lugging in tents and tables and crates and crates of decorations into this plain, unimpressive, little garden, and now it was so beautiful even Soonyoung thought he might cry.

“Is that everything?” Mingyu asks, as they finish the tables and all gather near the entrance, at the opposite end of the garden from where the arbour stands, along with the head table where the bridal party will be sitting.

Soonyoung stands with his hands on his hips and surveys all their hard work, finding that only one thing is missing.

He looks over at Seokmin, “Maybe we should light the lamps, so we can see everything in all its glory?”  Seokmin smiles knowingly and nods, and together they fetch the matches to light the first two, then they take them around to light all the others that line the perimeter of the garden.

With every lamp that’s lit, the warm glow grows and washes over all that stands within it, and by the time they’re finished and standing with the others again, Mingyu is behind Seungkwan with his arms wrapped tight around his waist, their cheeks pressed close together and their eyes shining with awe and emotion. Everyone else has similar reactions to the scene laid out in front of them, but none quite as moved as the two grooms.

“It feels almost magical,” Mingyu praises, still taking in the view and still holding on tight to Seungkwan.

Soonyoung turns again to look at everything, the flowers and the table settings, the tents and the stage, and he gives himself a figurative pat on the back for being able to pull it off.

“And I imagine it’ll be ten times better when all the guests are here to fill the space and admire everything,” Seokmin chimes in, and Soonyoung can see his eyes shining as well.

“It’s-” Seungkwan opens his mouth to speak but before he can get any more words out, he chokes on a sob. A collective coo goes up from all the girls, as his face screws up and his eyes squeeze shut, the tears that were welling up finally breaking into streams down his face. He leans into Mingyu, head lolling back onto his shoulder as his body shakes with emotion, face turning red quickly as he gasps for breath in between his blubbering.

Mingyu moves to pull him into a proper hug, but Seungkwan holds up a hand to stop him, still wanting to finish his piece; Mingyu, for his part just smiles and plants a kiss on the top of Seungkwan’s head.

There’s another moment or two before he collects himself, and Soonyoung is sure a tear or two slipped from Seokmin’s eyes in that time as well.

Seungkwan sucks in a breath, but his voice still cracks when he says, “It’s more beautiful than I could’ve ever imagined.” He takes another slow, shaky breath, just about ready to break down again. He looks around at everyone there before his gaze settles on his two best friends, “Thank you, _so much_ , for all of this. I _love_ you.”

He dissolves into sobs again, but this time Soonyoung and Seokmin are by his side at lightning speed, and he falls forward into their arms. “Thank you, _thank you_ ,” he breathes out through his tears, his face buried in Seokmin’s shoulder and grasping tightly onto Soonyoung’s shirt.

Seokmin is crying too, though not as messily or as loudly, and Soonyoung is overwhelmed by how much he truly _loves_ these boys, his best friends. The boys who were with him when he broke his arm falling out of a tree, or when he got caught stealing the neighbour’s jam tarts for the first time, they’re standing here now, the inseparable trio, about to put on a _wedding_. They’re about to add another to their little group, or perhaps send one off, but Soonyoung isn’t upset about it anymore, either way.

Somewhere inside him he thinks that even though Mingyu and Seungkwan are the ones getting married, this was a step they would all be taking together.

He feels so full, like he’s going to burst with all the joy and excitement squeezed inside him, that he lets out a laugh, boisterous and free, and can feel tears running hot down his cheeks as well. “We love you so much, Seungkwannie,” he says breathlessly.

“Anything to make you happy,” Seokmin echoes.

 Seungkwan pulls back so he can look up at them with a dreamy look in his eyes. “I _am_ happy. I’m so, _so_ happy,” he laughs wetly, “and part where I actually get married hasn’t even happened yet.”

They laugh and Soonyoung rests his cheek on top of Seungkwan’s head. He makes eye contact with Mingyu, who has been standing by and watching everything, and he spreads out his arm for him to join in their hug. He grins and comes over, his longer arms wrapping around all of them, and smothering them in his embrace and squeezing until they’re all begging him to let go.

With a wicked chuckle, he releases them and announces, “It’s already pretty late. Everyone should go home and get some rest for the big day tomorrow!”

 

Soonyoung wakes up fairly late the next morning and takes his time making and eating breakfast, knowing that there isn’t much left to do other than make final checks, get dressed and go to the wedding. For the most part, his work is done, and he relishes in that fact as he slowly savours every mouthful of his food.

By the time he washes up, tidies up and freshens up, it’s early afternoon, so he grabs the satchel with his suit and heads out the door.

Once he’s outside, he notes that the weather really is perfect like they’d predicted, with the sun warming up the afternoon and the sky only dotted with the fluffiest, whitest clouds, so he strolls at his leisure, breathing in the fresh air deeply. He’s never been one to carry a watch, that was always Seokmin’s thing, but he knows he doesn’t have to be in any rush as he takes each slow step, feeling the soft grass under his feet and the breeze on his cheeks.

When he walks through the arch at the entrance to the garden, he sees that there’s already a bit of buzz, with the band bringing in and setting up their instruments on one side of the stage, and the cooks and servers carrying the large pots and baskets that hold the night’s great feast. Most of them smile and wave when they see him, and he does the same in return, making his way around the venue, just to check that there’s enough oil in the lamps, and that nothing has come loose or been moved overnight.

Only when he’s sure that everything is still secure, still looks right, he heads to the closed off area around the back that the grooms and bridal party are supposed to use to get ready. He moves aside the curtain that covers the entrance, and from the moment he steps inside, he’s being bombarded.

“Soonyoung is here! Maybe he’ll know,” Seungkwan’s sister, Jinseol exclaims, jumping up from her seat on the little couch when she sees him.

Minseo, Mingyu’s little sister, runs up to him and grabs onto his arm pleadingly, “Please tell us you’ve seen them! That they’re coming right behind you.” She glances behind him hopefully, but no one else is there.

Soonyoung is sure he missed something. “What are you…?”

“Oh god, they’ve eloped,” Sojeong says quite dryly from where she’s sitting.

“Don’t be silly, girl,” her mother, who is standing next to her, taps her lightly on the forehead, and she yelps, perhaps more in offense than in pain. “They’re probably just running late.”

Jinseol glances between her sister and Soonyoung, wringing her hands anxiously, “Well, if they don’t get here soon, it’ll be quite the disaster.”

Just then, Seokmin enters from another opening on the side, grinning when he sees Soonyoung. “Soonyoung, you’re here!”

His face falls a bit when he sees how puzzled Soonyoung looks, but understanding dawns in his eyes when he notes the worried state everyone else is in. He comes quickly to the rescue.

“Ladies, why don’t you go on and finish getting ready? Seungkwan and Mingyu will be here very soon, Soonyoung and I will make sure of it!” The younger girls give him wary glances, but get up to leave regardless. He gives them another encouraging smile, and a quick, “Don’t you worry about a thing!”

Seungkwan’s mother gives them both a gentle smile before she follows them out. “Thank you boys again, for everything,” she chuckles, “I don’t know where Seungkwan would be without you.”

After she’s gone as well, Soonyoung turns to Seokmin and raises his eyebrows. “So, Seungkwan and Mingyu are missing?”

“They’re not _missing_ ,” Seokmin insists, but his nervous laugh gives him away. He rubs the back of his neck, then shrugs, “It’s just…no one’s seen them all day, and no one knows where they are.”

“That’s…”

Soonyoung doesn’t get to finish his thought, because just then Seungkwan and Mingyu themselves burst into the room, the curtain flying up behind them as they run past Seokmin and Soonyoung and collapse onto the couch on top of each other. Both Soonyoung and Seokmin are too shocked to speak, while the other two pay them little attention, still giggling breathlessly like small children.

“Where in the _world_ have you two been?” Soonyoung demands, though he doesn’t sound as menacing as he had aimed for.

“It’s Mid-year’s Day!” Mingyu exclaims, as if they’re missing the most obvious thing in the world. “We went to the street fairs, of course.”

“You went to the street fairs?” Seokmin asks, incredulous. “You’re getting married in less than two hours!”

Seungkwan scoffs. “It’s _our_ wedding day, can’t we choose to spend it how we like?” he retorts, and before anyone can argue further he adds, “Just calm down and have some cake.”He pulls out two little round packages from his pocket and throws one each at Seokmin and Soonyoung.

Just like he said, inside the paper wrapping lies a little chocolate cake, and Soonyoung smirks when realises he and Seokmin have come to the same conclusion; Seokmin voices it first, “You stole these.” Soonyoung knows he’s trying his best to sound angry.

Mingyu’s nervous smile is more than enough confirmation. “I didn’t know you had it in you, Mingyu,” Soonyoung says, and Mingyu’s smile turns into a proud grin. “I’m impressed.”

He takes a bite out of his cake and Seokmin finally cracks, a laugh slipping out, “Looks like Seungkwan finally managed to make a criminal out of you.” Seungkwan looks affronted, but Mingyu just chuckles and gives him a few placating pats on the thigh.

“Now we’re a perfect match,” Mingyu jokes, leaning in close and grinning wide when Seungkwan continues to act hurt.

“Don’t make me turn you in to the Shirriffs,” he threatens but there’s a smile pulling at his lips.

“Okay, that’s enough flirting,” Soonyoung speaks around a mouthful of cake. “Time to go get dressed, lovebirds. In case you forgot, you’re supposed to be getting married, not committing petty crimes.”

They both drag themselves up and begin to make their way off in opposite directions, but before Seungkwan leaves he retorts, “Who says you can’t do both?” He darts away laughing, dodging the crumpled ball of wrapping that Soonyoung throws at his head.

“When did he become so disrespectful?” Seokmin asks, shaking his head in disapproval.

Soonyoung heaves a dejected sigh, “We didn’t raise him to be like that, did we?”

“Either way, he’s out of our hands now,” Seokmin sighs too. He moves to leave, and gestures for Soonyoung to follow him, handing him his chocolate cake as they fall into step together. “He’ll be his husband’s problem from now on.” Soonyoung laughs, but doesn’t say anything else.

He allows a comfortable silence to fall between them as they walk, getting lost in his own thoughts and eating the cake that Seokmin gave him. They get to the “room” that’s been sectioned off for the groomsmen, and Seokmin makes a move on getting dressed while Soonyoung stands by and eats. When he’s done, he finally decides to voice his thoughts out loud.

“They’re going to be really happy, aren’t they?” is what he opens with, a question he thinks he already knows the answer to.

“I mean, I hope so,” Seokmin replies, turning to give him a half smile while he buttons his shirt. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s just- I kept thinking about what the Kangs said, about being happy,” he hopes what he’s saying is making sense, but he trusts Seokmin to understand regardless. “And I wasn’t sure about it before, but seeing them these past weeks, and last night, and even just now…Mingyu and Seungkwan really are best friends.”

Once Seokmin is finished putting on his waistcoat, he faces Soonyoung to give him all his attention. “Honestly, I’m not sure at what point that happened,” he starts, and Soonyoung can see the cogs turning in his head, “but it did. Was it when they started dating? After a few years? When they got engaged? Who knows…” he trails off, a pensive look overtaking his features.

“They’re so lucky,” Soonyoung mutters.

Seokmin looks a little like he disagrees. “I think it’s more than just getting lucky,” he explains, a little more rational; while Seokmin was a romantic and a dreamer, he had always been the more insightful one. “The biggest part of getting married to someone is making sure that person is someone you can have fun with, someone you can trust, someone who knows and understands you. _That’s_ what a best friend is.”

With Seokmin’s words, Soonyoung finds that all of the ideas floating around in his head about love and marriage and the future come together all at once, and he thinks he finally understands. “You know, I think that’s exactly what Mr. Kang meant when he said it,” he says in awe, “When will I get to be that wise.”

Seokmin breathes out a soft laugh, “You get that way with time and experience, you’ll be the same once you go through it yourself,” He gets a faraway look in his eyes as he continues, “One day you’ll meet someone of your own who you’ll fall in love with, and you’ll know each other inside out, and you’ll get to take care of each other and trust that you’ll always choose one another over everything and everyone else.” Seokmin smiles as he paints the picture, whether it’s to himself or for Soonyoung, Soonyoung isn’t sure. “And you’ll be so happy and have _so_ much fun, because that person won’t just be your spouse, they’ll be your _best friend_.” It seems like Seokmin realises how intense he’s being, because the dazed look disappears and he chuckles a little awkwardly.

Soonyoung, however, grins and shakes his head, trying his hardest not to burst out laughing in this serious moment. He fixes his eyes on Seokmin, who looks faintly confused, and he finds it so funny, because to him it’s the most obvious thing in the world when he says, “But I already have a best friend.”

Seokmin tilts his head, still looking confused, with his forehead creased and his mouth slightly agape, but it seems like he understands perfectly what Soonyoung means, and he just can’t believe he really said it.

He looks like he’s furiously trying to pull together the words to reply, but before he gets the chance to, a male voice is calling, probably one of the cousins, “Seokmin, are you in there?”

“Yes, I’m here,” he calls back, not yet daring to look away from Soonyoung.

“Can you come out front? We need your help to sort out something.”

Seokmin sighs, “Okay, I’ll be there in a minute!” He takes one last moment to examine Soonyoung’s face, perhaps trying to properly understand Soonyoung’s words, and what exactly he had meant by them. Soonyoung just smiles and shrugs, and Seokmin gives him a warm smile before he leaves, “We’ll talk more later on, yea? Get dressed, we’re going to be starting soon.”

He gives him a short pat on the shoulder before he’s gone.

 

Soonyoung feels like he’s holding his breath the entire time, while he waits for the chance to talk to Seokmin alone again. By the time he gets outside, the chairs are all filled and he can feel the anticipation coming off the guests and the bridal party in waves. After those seemingly endless months of planning and preparing, he feels a little offended by how quickly it all goes by.

They’re lining up to start the procession down the aisle, Jinseol is in front of him holding a bouquet of yellow daffodils at least half her height, and he knows Seokmin is standing just behind; next thing he knows he’s standing at Seungkwan’s side as the officiator begins the ceremony. He barely remembers a single thing that’s said, only knows that his feet hurt and there’s probably quite a bit of sweat running down his back, but Seokmin smiles at him from his place next to Mingyu, and he feels like the air trapped inside him expands, seriously threatening to burst open his chest.

Surprisingly, Mingyu starts crying first, when they exchange their rings, and Seungkwan can only hold up so long before he follows suit, the two of them giggling giddily through the tears as they share their first kiss as _husbands_.

The crying lasts throughout all the speeches and the toasts, and perhaps a little longer in Seungkwan’s case, but there is also so much laughter and smiling, and Soonyoung knows that every tear that falls from his friends’ eyes is nothing but pure, concentrated joy. A few tears of his own threaten to make their way out while he gives his speech, and it’s even harder to hold them back when Seokmin, and then Mingyu give their own speeches after him.

His will power only lasts until it’s Seungkwan’s turn, who, instead of sharing his thoughts in a speech, decides he would rather sing. And sing he does.

He sings, beautiful and clear as always, about the happiness he’s found, and his hope for the future, and the one he loves, packaging the emotion so tightly into every note and Soonyoung’s dam finally breaks. If Seokmin were sitting next to him, he thinks he’d like to hold his hand; he thinks that maybe, he can have a taste of what Seungkwan and Mingyu have, if it’s with Seokmin. In the magic of the moment, with Seungkwan’s voice filling the air and the space inside his heart, he thinks he’ll be just fine with growing up and settling down if he gets to do it with his best friend.

The figurative breath he’s holding presses against his lungs even more, and he feels maybe a little light headed.

After the toasts, the food is finally served, and Soonyoung stuffs himself to his heart’s content, as do most of the other guests. A line of people quickly forms at their table, all waiting their turn to come and congratulate the grooms themselves, and Soonyoung just smiles and nods at the ones that choose to acknowledge him. When the food and the line diminishes, they finally take to the dance floor, the musicians striking up their instruments as an invitation. The grooms dance with their sisters first, and then their mothers, and by the time they get to their first dance as newlyweds, Soonyoung feels so proud of how much they’ve improved as dancers from the time he first started with them.

The sun is setting, and the orange glow of the sky lights up their faces as they glide in circles, their foreheads pressed together and their lips moving in quiet whispers that are only for one another, leaving everyone else to wonder forever what words were shared between them in that moment.

It’s over all too soon, and the subdued magic of the evening dissolves into something much livelier, as night falls and the lamps are set ablaze and the band picks up a more swinging folk tune for those who want to dance. The buzz of happiness turns into the deafening roar of excitement as drinks flow and laughter rises up, and at some point, Soonyoung feels himself getting pulled up to join in the throng of dancers making their way exuberantly around the dance floor. Somewhere in the middle, he finds Mingyu and Seungkwan, jackets already off and trousers rolled up to make themselves more comfortable, and he falls in with them as they celebrate.

He keeps an eye out for Seokmin, and it’s only around the band’s third or fourth song that he spots him at the bar, a glass of something in his hand as he talks animatedly with an older family member he doesn’t recognise, perhaps an uncle. Before he thinks twice about it, his feet are carrying him out of the crowd and away from the dance floor; as he nears the bar, Seokmin sees him and smiles, and it seems like he finishes up his conversation, because he puts down his drink and starts walking over to meet him.

“Hey,” Soonyoung greets, and he feels the air that’s been growing and pushing inside his lungs all evening finally releases in one great exhale.

“Hey,” Seokmin grins, “Do you wanna go for a walk?” Soonyoung nods, and it’s like he’s breathing in deeply again, clarity returning to his oxygen deprived head.

They walk along the path that leads away from the garden in silence, until they are far enough that the din of the wedding celebrations seems like another world, the only light on their way being the almost full moon in the cloudless sky. They’re close enough for Soonyoung to reach out and hold Seokmin’s hand, so he does, letting their fingers slide against each other slowly, until Seokmin himself tightens his grip and interlocks their fingers firmly.

When he looks up from staring at their joined hands, he sees Seokmin looking at him, eyes sparkling like the stars above them, smile warm and inviting. He looks as though he knows everything Soonyoung wants to say, like he already understands perfectly, but still wants to give him the opportunity to say it himself, out loud.

Soonyoung accepts the invitation gladly. “I don’t think I’m worried about the future anymore,” he admits, “It isn’t really as scary as I thought at first. It’s kind of exciting, actually.”

Seokmin nods, his eyebrows raising slightly in question, “Yea?”

Soonyoung smiles and lets his shoulder brush against Seokmin’s. He feels his heart rate pick up and his stomach turn lightly, but this time it’s not unpleasant. “Yea, and well…” he glances at Seokmin again, who looks like he’s fighting a grin, and he looks down again, a blush rising to his cheeks. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you, Seok.”

Seokmin barks out a laugh, and Soonyoung suddenly feels warm all over, and his eyes are burning a little. He feels a tug on his hand and he finally looks at Seokmin again, who is grinning, as he asks in an amused tone, “Are you only _pretty sure_? There’s a big difference between being sure and being _pretty_ sure, you know.”

Soonyoung huffs at being mocked at a time like this. “I pour my heart out to this guy, and this is what I get?” he mutters to himself in disbelief. When Seokmin laughs again, Soonyoung punches him in the arm, and receives a wounded whimper in response. “Would you just, oh my god, just shut up and tell me you love me too.”

“How can I tell you anything if I shut up?” He retorts, but when Soonyoung stops in his tracks and gives him an annoyed look, he just smiles the most blindingly happy smile Soonyoung has ever seen. Seokmin turns his body so they’re face to face, and swings their hands lightly between them. “And besides, it seems like you’re already absolutely certain.”

Soonyoung rolls his eyes, but then Seokmin lets go of his hand and raises his fingers to brush Soonyoung’s cheek, and Soonyoung’s heart jumps into his throat. “But I absolutely do; I love you,” he breathes, and then he’s kissing him, and Soonyoung is positive that his heart has escaped and is soaring around in the sky above them. Seokmin pulls back for a moment muttering, “I love you, I’m in love with you, and whatever other variants you can think of,” punctuating each phrase with a small press of their lips together, and Soonyoung is sure he’s going to die, if he hasn’t already. “I don’t think I could ever love anyone else the same way.”

Soonyoung smiles softly and lets their foreheads rest together, tries to ignore the feeling of his blood pumping through his body at double speed. “It’s okay, because you don’t have to,” he whispers, taking advantage of their closeness to wrap his arms around Seokmin’s waist. “I love you, and it’s gonna be me and you together from now on, and all the rest of the future, if you’ll have me.”

“Of course I’ll _have you_ , you idiot,” Seokmin hums, and there’s so much love in his words, Soonyoung wants to hold them inside him forever. “You’re my best friend.”

As a child, Soonyoung had always thought that Mid-year’s Day had a bit of magic in it, and now he’s quite positive, because while he and Seokmin stand together, professing their love for one another, there’s a booming sound and then the sky bursts with colour as the fireworks explode into life. Soonyoung admires the show more than ever before, and he feels the sound of each explosion resonating in his chest alongside his heartbeat, more full and alive than he’s ever remembered it before.

Seokmin looks so handsome under the colourful lights, and his mind drifts back to Seungkwan and Mingyu. He thinks about endings and beginnings, and how many of those they’ve experienced just today, about how the future must feel terrifying and exciting and comforting all at once.

He hopes that they’re in each other’s arms right now, thinking about how beautiful the other is and how much they love one another and how happy they are, the same way he is.

He hopes that they feel the same as he does about everything that’s happened today; that it was absolutely perfect.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it to the end of this fic, thank you so much, for your time and your attention, it means the world to me. I set a few goals for myself and my writing with this story, and I'm so thankful for being able to be a part of this ficfest and use it as an opportunity to improve my writing. Special thanks to my dear friends who encouraged me to keep going while I wrote this monster of a fic (at least in my eyes). SPECIAL special thanks to Tessa, who talked me into doing this ficfest in the first place, and who was with me every step of the way with constructive criticism and motivating words. I love you...*strums an actual chord on the guitar and sings* BITCH.
> 
> Please, I would love to hear your feedback! Either leave a comment, or you can send me a message on [tumblr](http://helianthical.tumblr.com/ask) <3 Much love


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